1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for dispensing controlled doses of a flowable material, and more particularly to a device for applying controlled doses of a flowable adhesive material to a surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,667,286 describes a viscous gel-like substance that may be applied directly to the inner surface of a toilet bowl for cleaning and/or disinfecting and/or fragrancing the toilet bowl. The substance can be applied from a suitable applicator directly onto the inner surface of the toilet bowl, to which the substance adheres. The substance remains on the inner surface of the toilet bowl even after being contacted with flush water, and typically the substance is only flushed away completely after a large number of flushes. The substance is also suitable for application to other surfaces such as urinals, lavatory or industrial sinks, showers, bathtubs, dishwashing machines and the like.
Various applicators for such adhesive gel-like substances have been proposed. For example, PCT International Patent Application WO 03/043906 discloses a syringe-type dispensing device suitable for use in applying such adhesive gel-like substances to a surface. PCT International Patent Application WO 2004/043825 also discloses a syringe-type dispensing device for applying such adhesive gel-like substances to a surface.
While these applicators do succeed in applying the adhesive gel-like substances to a surface, some users of these applicators have difficulty deciding when to stop applying the adhesive gel-like substances to a surface. For instance, some users continue pressing on the plunger of the syringe and apply a bead of the adhesive gel-like substance around the entire circumference of the inner surface of the toilet bowl. This leads to overuse of the adhesive gel-like substance and an unnecessarily quick need for refill of the syringe or replacement purchase in the case of a disposable device. Another problem is that some users do not apply enough of the substance which minimizes efficacy of substance.
Thus, there is a need for an improved device for applying a flowable adhesive material to a surface such that a user can apply a unitized discrete controlled dose accurately and thereby avoid (i) overuse and waste of the adhesive material or (ii) underuse and decreased efficacy of the material.